Chamber and committees

The Confidentiality and Security Advisory Group (CSAGS) report published in 2003, defined Acceptably anonymised data as data from which in practice the patient cannot be identified by the recipient of the information, and where the theoretical probability of the patient''s identity being discovered is extremely small.

This covers individual licence costs, and deployment and support charges for the five participant boards for a 10 year period. The costs for TrakCare in Lothian Health Board are not included.

There are no plans for the Scottish Government to develop an electronic single shared assessment specifically for patients and clients with drug and alcohol problems.

The Scottish Government has developed single shared assessment for all users of community care services based on an the National Minimum Information Standards (NMIS).

Agencies can introduce other aspects into single shared assessments to meet local priorities and to inform performance management reporting. These can include specialist assessments for drug and alcohol services.

Agencies had until March 2009 to implement NMIS in support of single shared assessment in paper form and are expected to share information electronically within six months of the systems being put in place to do so.

There are no plans to introduce a separately designed Scottish solution. The consortium procurement to deliver a PMS solution that is available to all boards was set out in the eHealth Strategy in 2008. Boards beyond those in the consortium will consider whether to move to the PMS solution based on individual business cases and taking into account their existing products and contractual commitments.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19087 on 5 January 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The referral criteria being used the Golden Jubilee national Hospital, is in line with the SIGN Guideline on the Management of Obesity published in February 2010. The guideline recommendation is that bariatric surgery, including gastric band procedures, should be considered on a individual case basis following assessment of risk/benefit in patients who fulfil the following criteria: body mass index of 35 kg/m2 or over and has the presence of one or more severe co-morbidities which are expected to improve significantly with weight reduction e.g. severe mobility problems, arthritis, type 2 diabetes.

Weight management programmes and clinical psychology programmes, as well as follow up care will be delivered locally by the referring NHS board.

NHSScotland is committed to ensuring that all staff have means available to raise concerns. NHSScotland has developed a model freedom of speech policy, which is contained within the Dealing with Employee Concerns Partnership Information Network (PIN) Policy. This policy, while currently under review nationally, can be found at:

http://www.staffgovernance.scot.nhs.uk/partnership/partnership-information-network/.

All NHSScotland boards have in place a freedom of speech policy based on the minimum standards set out in the PIN policy. In these policies, boards emphasise that they will not tolerate harassment or victimisation of any member of staff who raises a concern (including informal pressure). Any instance of such behaviour will be treated as a serious disciplinary offence under the management of conduct arrangements.

Recent railway construction projects in Scotland have voluntarily adopted the qualifying criteria and procedures contained within the Noise Insulation (Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems) Regulations (NIR''s), which came into force in England and Wales in 1996 under the Land Compensation Act 1973.

The Scottish Government will assess, with UK colleagues, any consequential requirements for legal regulation if required, following the further adoption of the Environmental Noise Directive (2002/49/EC).

While this is a reserved matter for which Scottish Ministers do not have responsibility, in general terms the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 is considered to provide a robust framework which adequately protects individuals making disclosures in the public interest which fall within the terms of the legislation.

The recent Audit Scotland report on Managing NHS waiting lists “ A review of new arrangements published on 4 March stated that New Ways has introduced significant changes to the way patients waits are managed, and NHSScotland has done well to implement the new arrangements.

So yes, I do think the system is working satisfactorily, but we will continue to monitor it and make improvements, where necessary.